


Sacrifice

by Stressball



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Rayla loses her hand, What-If, its really sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-08
Updated: 2019-02-08
Packaged: 2019-10-24 19:38:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17710337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stressball/pseuds/Stressball
Summary: Rayla made her choice. But making a decision, and actually going through with it, are two different things.





	Sacrifice

**Author's Note:**

> What if Azymondias couldn't get the band off? It makes sense that they couldn't have Rayla lose her hand and keep a Y-7 rating, but it would be an interesting plot point for Rayla to go through the next season trying to live with one hand, and the whole deal with Ezran kinda being to blame for that? I mean, it was lose her hand or kill him, so the choice is obvious, but it would be an interesting idea to expand on. But this isn't about that, this is just angst. Angst, amputation, and sub-par writing.

Rayla stared at the binding on her wrist, desperately wishing it to fall off. It hurt so much. She couldn’t move her fingers at all anymore, and her entire hand was swollen and discolored. She would do anything, if only to _get the bloody thing off._  
Well, She thought, not anything. Because there was one thing she could do. One thing she wouldn’t do. She bound herself to her mission. But Prince Ezran was her friend, and furthermore he had done nothing to deserve death. Even their original reason for going after him, blood for blood, was invalid. The humans didn’t destroy the dragon king’s only egg, and the proof was right there in front of them. Even so, she couldn’t hope but wish for a world in which she was never foolish enough to go through with the ritual. _My heart for Xadia, indeed_. Even if she killed Ezran now, it would be too late. Any hope for peace between humans and elves would be gone, and her hand would likely have to be amputated anyway, with how it was looking now. A small price to pay, surely. But it still really, _really hurt._  
“Rayla? What are you doing up there?” Callum called from below the cliff she rested on.  
_Not thinking about murdering your brother, that’s for sure._ She decided to keep her thoughts to herself, keeping her eyes steadily on the horizon.  
“You know -huff- you really have to stop -huff- running off -huff- without telling us -huff- we had that talk about trust, remember?” Callum scrambled up to join her, struggling with the same path she could climb single-handedly. She chuckled in a fit of grim humor. At least she wouldn’t be totally useless. He sat down next to her, breathing hard. “. . .Rayla?” She remained silent for a while, unable to voice her thoughts.  
“. . . I can’t wait any longer, Callum,” She grimaced, biting back the lump in her throat. “There’s not going to be any, any sudden miracles for me.”  
“. . . Rayla-” He started.  
“What are you going to say Callum? A _sunfire blade_ couldn’t do it, do you really think we’ll find anything even close to that? Face it, it’s too late. I made my choice, and now I’m paying the price for it.” She turned away from him, feeling tears spring to her eyes.  
“You didn’t know-”  
“I may not have known about the egg, but I knew Ezran was innocent. I told myself it was justice but you were right from the start. It’s just a cycle, and our job is making sure that cycle ends here, with his life, the dragon prince, and-and my hand. That’s just how it is.” A few tears betrayed her, slipping down her face and catching on her chin. “Callum I . . . I need your help.”  
“Help with what?” She grimly pulled out one of her blades. Deadly sharp.  
“I can’t do it myself,” She whispered, holding out her crippled hand. His eyes widened.  
“Rayla I can’t-”  
“Callum.” She met his eyes. “You’re the only one who can. If we don’t do it soon my whole arm could get infected. Please, just . . . just get it over with.” He reluctantly grabbed the blade, and she rummaged around in her bag for some bandages.  
“I don’t even know how to take care of an amputation wound.”  
“I can coach you through it.” Ironic that she was the one convincing him. He wasn’t the one losing a limb.  
“You ready?” He wielded the blade awkwardly.  
“Do it. Just put all your force on the blade, and it should be able to cut through bone without much trouble.” She put a stick between her teeth, trying to quell a sudden rise of fear-induced nausea.  
“One,” She bit down, hard.  
“Two,” She clenched her eyes shut.  
_“Three.”_


End file.
